Machine for splitting pearl-button blanks



May 7, 1929.

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May 7, 1929.

G. A. LIPPINCOTT MACHINE FOR SPLITTING PEARL BUTTON BLANKS Filed April 16, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented May 7, 1929.

UNITED STATES GEORGE A. LIPPINCOTT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOB SPLITTING PEARL-BUTTON BLANKS.

Application filed April 16,

The present invention relates to improvements in machines for splitting pearl button blanks, and. has for its object to provide a simple, relatively inexpensive, but very cilicicnt, means, by which pearl button blanks may be rapidly split or separated into discs of the desired thickness.

in the umnufacture of pearl button blanks it has been customary to employ rotating saws for separating the blanks, and also in cases where the grainof the material is suitable manually operated chisel and hammer devices have been employed.

The method of forming the button discs by sawing necessarily involves a considerable waste of material, and the hand splitting method heretofore used is necessarily somewhat slow, and also requires a considerable amount of skill on the part of the operator. By such method also it is very diliicult toproduce discs of uniform thickness.

.By the present invention an automatic ma chine means, acting upon the several blanks in substantially the same manner as the manual chisel and hammer devices heretofore employed, whereby there is no Waste of material, is n-ovided. The invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts that will. be hereinafter more particularly described in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings 'l igure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan, of a portion of the machine on a larger scale, showing the splitting means in a different position.

Figure 3 is an edge View of parts shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. y

Figure 5 is a section substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, in the several figures of which like reference characters designate corresponding parts, 1 designates a rotary blank holder which. is mounted on a vertical shaft 2 journalled in suitable hearings in a supporting frame and connected by gearing, not shown, with a power shaft 3.

Any suitable means may be provided for controlling the rotation of the holder 1.

As shown, the holder is mounted to rotate above a table 1- having a greater area 1926. Serial No. 102,544.

than the holder, and is provided with a radially projecting annular flange 5 at its upper face, through which a series of vertical passages 6 are formed, in which the blanks to be cat are positioned. The peripheral. face ofthe reduced section of the holder is shown as provided with a series of shallow vertical grooves 6 in alignment with the passages 6 in the flange 5.

On the table 1 beyond the periphery of the rotary blank holder are mounted the chisellike splitting devices. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated there are two sets of splitting means, arranged at, diametrically opposite points, but it will be appreciated that 'lheinvention is not in any n1annor limited to the number of such devices and that they can be increased, or, if desired, only asingle splitting means may be employed with each rotary holder.

As shown, each splitting device includes a lever 7, which is fulcrumed at one end, at 8, on a stud rising from the table 4, and. has at its free end a pivotally mounted knife or chisel 9, of circular form. A pin 10 rising from the tableextends through an opening in,the chisel supporting arm 7 and limits movement of the chisel toward the axis of the rotary holder ,while permitting the chisel 9 to contact successively with the blanks positioned in the passages 6,6 as the holder rotates.

A spring 11 is shown as cooperating with the chisel supportingarm 7, to normally hold it in such position that the chisel or knife 9 carried thereby will contact and bear lightly-upon the several blanks they are successively carried past by rotation of the holder 1. i

Means are provided whereby the ClllSGl supporting arm 7 is intermittently struck a sharp blow which will, through the sharp ened edge of the chisel 9, effectively split the blank with which the chisel is then in contact.

Various means for delivering such sharp quick blow to the chisel may be provided. As shown, the rotary holder 1 is provided on its upper face with a series of upwardly projecting pins or studs 12 and these suc cessively contact with the bevelled edge 13 of a hammer member 1 1, which is mounted to reciprocate in a suitable guide 15 provided on the table. The body of the hammer 14: is reduced to provide an outwardly extending shank or stem which extends through an abutment or bracket at 16 on the table 4. 7

A coiled spring 17 surrounds the reduced stem or shankv of the hammerlbetween the shoulder formed between said stem and the 'body of the hammerend the abutment 16,

said spring acting to force the hammer radially toward the axisof the rotary holder 1 when the inner end of the hammer passes fromengagement withthe pins 12. Apin '20 depending-v-from the hammer member 14 contacts with the chiselsupporting arm 7 whenthe hammer is impell'edtoward the axis of the-holder by the action of the spring 17-, and, as before described, imparts a sharp sudden blow to the chisel which effectively splits the blank. Movement of the hammer 14 isguided by a-suitable guide 21 secured to the table land the force of the blow imparted by the-spring 17 is controlled by adthe power of the spring 17 as desired. A nut 30 screwed'upon the outer end of the stem or shank of the hammer cooperates with the abutment .16 to limit inward movement of the hammer.

In theembodiment ofthe machine illustrated the table or supporting frame 4 is provided with twosections 40 upon which a mass' of the blanks tobe separated may be supported. -An operator adjacent each of said table sections 40 will place the blanks to be split in the passagesx6 and as the table rotates they will be successively carried. past the adjacent splitting device.

As'each pin12 passes the cooperating hammer 145 the latter willbe given a slight movement radially of the holder and under the influence, of its cooperating spring 17 caused to impart a sudden sharp blow tothe chisel i supporting arm 7, and through the chisel and requires less frequent sharpening than carried thereby to the-blank which is-then in contactther'ewith. This will sever the blanks and-theseparatedparts will fall through the passages 6 and .as the holder turnsthese parts willfall through a suitableslot 50 formed in the table 4.

While many of the purposes of the invention maybe efi'ecte'd if astraight blade-like knife or cutter is employed, it. is preferred to make the cutter, as shown, of circular form. A kn fe'jor :chisel of this particular form has a maximum extent of cutting edge,

would be required if it were in'the form of astraight blade.

As shown, each splitting means includes but a single cutting blade. However, if deunderstood from the foregoing description in connection with the drawings.

The machineprovides very efiieieut and rapid means for accurately splitting straight grain. but-ton blanks into discs of uniform thickness without any waste of material as necessarily results if a saw is employed for severing the blanks.

In the drawings some of the parts are shown more or less conventionally and din grammatically and, of course, the invention is not limited to the exact proportions shown. Also there may be modification in the shape or form ofthe parts from that illustrated without departing from the invention.

The drawings are to be considered as illustrative rather than restrictive of the invention, except where the appended claims are specific to the exact details shown.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1; In a machine for splitting button blanks, the combination of a holder adapted to support a plurality of blanks, a cutting blade bodily movable in a plane intersecting one of the blanks in. the holder, means for effecting relative movement between the holder and blade to )osition the blanks suecessively in the path of 'the blade, and a spring adapted to have power stored therein by movement of the holder for causing the bladeto impart a sudden blow to the blank positioned in its path.

2; In a machine for splitting button blanks. the combination of a rotary holder adapted to support a plurality of blanks, a cutting blade mounted on a relatively stationary support and bodily movable in a plane intersecting one of the blanks in the holder, the blanks being successively positioned in contact with said blade as the holder rotates, and means including a spring adapted to have power stored therein by movement of the holder for causing the blade to impart a blow to the blank positioned in its path.

3. In a machine for splitting button blanks, the combination of a rotary holder adapted to support a lurality of blanks, a cutter comprisinga b ade and a pivotally mounted arm supporting such blade, and adapted to turn about an axis substantially parallel to that of the blank holder, means for moving the holder to cause the blade to contact with the blanks in the holder successively, and means for intermittently imparting a sharpblow to the cuttin blade to split the blank in contact therewith.

4. In a machine. for splittin button blanks, the combination of a movab e holder adapted to support a plurality of blanks, a cutter blade carried by a support adapted to turn about an axis extending substantially at right angles to the path of movement of the holder, means for moving the blank holder relative to the cutter blade support to position the blanks successively in contact with the cutting blade, and intcrmittingly acting means controlled by movement of the holder tor imparting a sharp blow to the cutter support to move it bodily about its axis and cause the blade to sever the blank in contact therewith.

In a machine for splitting button blanks, the combination of a table-like support, a rotary holder mounted above said table and provided about its periphery with means for receiving a series of blanks, a cutter blade arm pivotally mounted on the support beyond the periphery of the blank holder to swing to and from the path of the blanks in the holder as the latter rotates, means acting to hold the blade of said arm against the blanks successively as the holder rotates, and means for intermittingly imparting a sharp blow to the blade arm to cause the blade to sever the blank in contact therewith.

6. In a machine for splitting button blanks, the combination of a bodily movable cutter, a holder adapted to support a plurality of blanks means for moving the. holder to carry the blanks across the path of the cutter and successively position them in contact with the cutter, a spring impelled hammer adapted to impart a blow to the out ter while the latter is in contact with a blank, and means controlled by movement of the holder for intermittingly effecting actuation of the hammer."

7. In a machine for splitting button blanks, the couibillation of a rotatable holder adapted to support a plurality of blanks, a cutter adapted to move bodily in a path intersecting the path of movement of blanks by the holder, means for turning the holder to carry the blanks across the path of the cutter and position them successively in 0011- tact with the cutter, a hammer adapted to reciprocate in a path extending radially of the holder, a spring acting to move the hammer into engagement with the cutter, and means controlled by movement of the holder for moving the hammer in opposition to the spring and releasing it to actuate the hammer to effect a blow upon the cutter while the latter is in contact with a blank.

8. In a machine for splitting button blanks, the combination of a bodily movable cutter, a holder adapted to support a plurality of blanks, means for moving the holder to carry the blanks across the path ot the cutter and successively position them in contact with the cutter, a hammer, a spring acting to move the hammer into e11- gagement with the cutter, and means on the blank holder adapted to intern'iittingly move the hammer in opposition to the spring and to permit the spring to actuate the hammer to effect a blow upon the cutter while the latter is in contact with a blank.

9. In a machine for splitting button blanks, the combination of a bodily movable cutter, a holder adapted to support a plurality of blanks, means for moving the holder to carry the blanks across the path of the cutter and successively position them in contact with the cutter, a hammer having a member projecting overthe holder and a member adapted to engage the cutter, a spring acting to move the hammer into engagement with the cutter, and means 011 the blank holder for intermittingly cooperating with the adjacent member of the hammer to move the hammer in opposition to the spring and to permit the spring to move the hammer to effect a blow upon the cutter While the latter is in contact with a blank.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE A. LIPPINCOTT. 

